Deveon Dinwiddie has always been a good running back.

Tuesday

Sep 22, 2009 at 12:01 AMSep 22, 2009 at 6:00 PM

Vance Janak

The Hutchinson High senior is finding ways to be even better this season for the Salthawks.

Heading into Friday's game at Derby, Dinwiddie, who's been a scoring weapon for Hutchinson coach Randy Dreiling's Salthawks since he was a sophomore, is leading the Class 5A No. 1-ranked Salthawks in rushing with 521 yards and seven touchdowns.

"I've always considered him a great high school back, one of the best around," Dreiling said. "I think this year he's just playing more like a big-time running back. He's got great hands and great moves. He's starting to mature and make cuts where he's not slipping down by using his balance. He showed good strength and power against Maize. He fought through would-be tacklers and kept his balance. His highlights are pretty incredible so far."

The 5-foot-8, 171-pound Dinwiddie added a few more clips to his highlight tape last Friday in the Salthawks' 55-0 win over Maize. The speedy and elusive Dinwiddie rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns while also returning three punts for 184 yards.

That included returns of 77 and 73 yards for touchdowns, something he's never done in his stellar prep career.

"You always expect that with Deveon," junior Ben Heeney said. "He's a great player. He got some good blocks and he capitalized on them. ... Even if you do miss a block, he can return them anyway. He's just a great player."

Dinwiddie is coming off a great junior year in which he was second on the team in rushing yards (1,267) and touchdowns (14). Dinwiddie was Hutchinson's top receiver in the Salthawks' power running, triple option flexbone attack, catching nine passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns.

Motivating factors coming into his senior season, Dinwiddie said, were helping the Salthawks (3-0) win a state-record sixth consecutive state championship while also improving individually.

"It's your senior year and you want to go out there and give all you have," Dinwiddie said. "This senior class, we really thought we could have went undefeated last year. Our senior class is really motivated to win. We want to go undefeated and win state. In the summer, hard work pays off and that's what's happening right now."

What happens when Dinwiddie gets on the field is entertaining for Hutchinson fans. Dinwiddie makes defenders miss with his sharp cuts and elusive moves or he simply blows by with his blazing speed that registers at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

That's allowed Dinwiddie to rush, receive and throw touchdowns while also returning punts and kickoffs for scores during his prep career.

Off the field, Dinwiddie normally wears an ear-to-ear smile.

"He's a very likeable kid," Dreiling said. "He's fun to be around. He's just a bundle of joy and he plays the game that way. He's bouncing around and he's always up for anything."

Dinwiddie's been through everything off the field, moving from various foster homes and children's shelters before he and his brother, Deshawn, found a home with John and Cheri Hastert.

"They mean a lot to us," Dinwiddie said. "It's family. The other places we went, we didn't have feelings for them like that. Now, we've been with them for two years now. I call them mom and dad and they're my family. We love them so much and I'm just happy that we got through that situation."

Once Dinwiddie completes his senior year, he looks to continue to dazzle fans at Gowans Stadium as he's verbally committed to Hutchinson Community College.

Although Dinwiddie had an impressive outing last season against Derby - rushing for 131 yards and a school-record 99-yard first-quarter touchdown run - the Salthawks faltered late in a 30-27 loss that snapped Hutchinson's 38-game winning streak against Kansas teams.

"It's really payback against Derby," Dinwiddie said. "They talked a lot of stuff after the game. We really want to go to Derby and put it on them because they left a bad taste in our mouths."

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